Collapsible and reusable carton



July 14, 1953 1. Dom-'MAN 2,645,405

coLLAPsIBLE AND REusABLacA'roN- N s I INVENTOR. .|RVI N6 DORFMAN ATTQQNEYS Flc. a. '7 da 22 ma /28 Patented July 14, 1953 Y UNITED jjsA-TArEs PATENT or-'Fics f e i :f l 2,645,405v

ooLLAPsILE AND REUsABLE CARTON Irving I)`orfman,. New York,'N.. Y.; assignorftol `Federalflarton Corporation, North` Bergen, N. J.lacor.poration of New York e `applic'ation May 6; 1950', Serial No. 160,449

1. claim. (Craze- 38) The present invention relates to improvements in carrying cases or cartons and has as its `primary object the provision of a carton. which 1s constructed and arranged insuch a manner as to be readily assemblable into set-uncondition and which is characterized by enhanced durability and strength in comparison with. cartons of conventional construction. l. .I

Another object of theinvention islthe provision of a carton which may be readily collapsed into small .compass pending` reuse;I thereby greatly conserving storagefspace. y A `further object ofthe. invention is the provision of a carton having an end panel construction designed for'increased` strength sol as to allow Vvertical stacking.: without .causing weakening or partial collapse of the `lower members of a stacked pile'. The latter `object-is achieved by overlapping the end subpanels;` and stitching along the overlap to define the endpanels of the carton and further by providing inner end flaps integral with the bottom panel, which inner end flaps may be turned upon against the overlapped and stitched subpanelsV in order to provide an additional supporting wall `at either end of the carton.` I i Another-object of` the. invention` is theprovision` of a carton ofthe. characterindicated which may be used fordistributing `partial.contentsto `a number of consumers and which; allowslrepeated closure of the carton without requiring the use of gummed sealing tape or the like. This object is achieved by providing the top panels of the carton with tuck-in flaps which may be received in die-cut slots defined between inwardly folded top flaps integral with the end subpanels of the carton.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages will be readily apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the improved carton may be formed;

Fig. 2 illustrates the rst step in the formation of the carton, showing the blank folded in half about a medial longitudinal fold line of the central or bottom panel and with the integral inner end ilaps inwardly folded thereagainst;

Fig. 3 is` a perspective View illustrating a further step in the formation of the carton; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the completed carton in open set-up condition and showing one of the reinforcing inner end flaps integral with the bottom panel partially folded away from the respective end panel of the carton.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, l0 designates the carton blank which may be formedirom cardboard, fiberboard, corrugated boardv or anyA other suitable materialA which may be readily die-cut and scored. Carton blank I0 is formedy with a central panel Il dening the bottom panel of the' carton. Inner end ilaps I2 are integral witli-A bottom panel II and foldable about the transverse score lines I3; Side panels I4'` are integral' with bottom panel I I and foldable about longitudinal score lines I5. End subpanels IG and IIiu;v are integral with respective side panels I4 and-foldable about-score lines I'I. End subpanels IGa are each provided with an overlap ISI). which isA secured to a respective subpanel I8 by stitchingpstapling or in any other suitable manner to form the `end panels of the carton, as will-` be described more fully hereinbelow. Said overlaps are foldable about score lines I`8.

Top" flaps I 9 and I 9ct are integral with end subpanels I6 and I6a respectively and are foldable about score lines 20. Top or cover panels 2F'I areintegralfwitlr side panels |41 and are folda'blev aboutllbngitudinal; score lines 2Ia. Said covenpanels` are: preferably provided with integraltucksin il'aps 22. foldable: aboutscore lines `23a4 The: outerv edge (ins. the blank) of each top nap .I91 is cut away as shown at. 24. in. order to define,` with the opposed edge of its respective top flap |911:` the set-up condition: of the. carton, a slot for the.l reception of tuck-in fiapsr22` The variousr cut lines'r which separate the*` respective panels and naps of: the: blankt from each other are designated by reference numeral 25.

A medial longitudinal fold line 26 extends across bottom panel I I and inner end flaps I2V which are integral with said bottom panel. In the formation of the carton from blank I 0, inner end flaps I2 are rst inwardly folded about score lines I3 against the bottom panel `I I. The blank l is then folded about the medial longitudinal fold against the outer end panels of the carton, inner end naps l2 serve as reinforcing end walls greatly adding to the strength of the cartons. By reason of the described arrangement, a plurality of loaded cartons may be stacked vertically without causing weakening or collapse of the lowermost cartons in the stacked pile and without causing damage to the contents thereof.

In the set-up condition ofthe carton illustrated in Fig. 4, the opposed inner edges of each pair of inwardly folded top flaps I9 and |9a define closure slots or cut-outs 24 for the reception of the integral tuck-in aps 22 of cover panels 2l. This arrangement allows constant use and repeated closure of the carton and eliminates the necessity of using gummed sealing tape or the like as required in cartons of conventional iconstruction. Thus the carton may be readily -used as a shipping container in the distribution of a plurality of broken lots or partial contents thereof to a number of consumers and the carton may be readily closed after the withdrawal of each lot.

When not in use the carton may be readily collapsed into the small compass of Fig. 2 by rst folding downwardly the inner end flaps I2 against the bottom panel H and then simultaneously folding said bottom panel about the medial longitudinal fold line 26 and flattening the end subpanels I6 and Ia of each end panel against each other about the medial score lines I8.

Inner end flaps l2 are .preferably formed with handle cut-outs 28 which register with cut-outs 29 appropriately disposed in the end panels I6, 16a in order to facilitate carrying the carton about.

Since certain modifications may be made in the carton of the present invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, yit is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing specication and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted merely asV illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

A collapsible carton comprising a longitudinally extending bottom panel, longitudinally extending side Walls panels hingedly connected to said bottom panel, a front end wall comprising front end panels respectively hingedly connected to the front edges of said side panels, a front cover flap comprising front cover flap panels respectively hingedly connected to said front end panels, said front end wall having an end overlap flap hingedly connected to the inner face of the other front end panel, said front cover flap having a front cover overlap nap hingedly connected to the front portion of the inner edge of the front cover ilap panel which is connected to said ilrst front end panel, said front cover overlap flap being also secured to a face of the other front cover flap and hingedly connected to the upper edge of said end overlap ilap, said front cover overlap flap terminating forwardly of the rear edge of said front cover flap, the inner edges of said cover iiap panels being spaced from each other to form a front slot located rearwardly of said front cover overlap flap, a rear end wall and a rear cover ilap constructed in the same manner as said front end wall Vand said front cover flap, inner end flaps respectively hingedly connected to the front and rear edges of said bottom panel and foldable against respective end walls to provide respective reinforcing end Walls, cover panels respectively hingedly connected to the respective upper edges of said side wall panels, and adapted to be positioned over said cover naps, tuck-in aps respectively hingedly connected to the respective inner edges of said cover panels, each of said tuck-in naps extending longitudinally between the front end of the edge of a first front-end panel and secured to a front slot and the rear end of the rear slot and being adapted to be insertedl in said slots'whereby to lock said tuck-in flaps frictionally and releasably, said bottom panel and said inner `end flaps respectively having medial longitudinal fold lines, whereby said carton `is collapsible by folding said inner end flaps downwardly against said bottom panel and said cover ilapsinto respective alinement with said end walls and then simultaneously folding outwardly said bottom panel and said inner end panels along their respective fold lines,Y and said end Walls and said cover flaps along the hing-e lines of. their respective overlap flaps.

IRVING DOMAIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,293,801 Kitt Feb. 1l, 1919 1,835,729 Van Wormer Dec. 8, 1931 2,094,054 Bixby Sept. 28, 1937 2,228,604 Luce Jan. 14, 1941 2,331,582 Trost Oct. 12, 1943 

